The government is to investigate Taiwanese entertainers who go to China to develop their careers and subsequently belittle or harm Taiwan’s sovereignty, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said on Friday.
Some Taiwanese artists who develop their careers in China are forced to make political statements or repost statements that diminish Taiwan’s sovereignty, Chiu said.
With the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration coming up on Tuesday next week, Taiwanese entertainers who threaten national sovereignty at that time might be doing so in cooperation with the Chinese government, he said.
Photo: AP
The Ministry of Culture would investigate artists, entertainers or talent agencies who engage in that sort of behavior in accordance with the law, he added.
China has been steadily escalating its pressure against Taiwan, employing every possible means to infiltrate and divide the nation, through military exercises, diplomatic suppression, economic coercion, social infiltration, legal and psychological warfare, and “gray zone” tactics, Chiu said.
The tactics have escalated cross-strait tensions and threatened regional security, he said.
If an entertainer or artist is struggling in China, they should consider returning to Taiwan, as Taiwan has a lot of creative freedom and the government would support them, he said.
The government wants to support Taiwanese artists in China by counseling them and providing them with opportunities to return to Taiwan, he said, adding it also hopes to avoid anyone being forced to make political statements that harm Taiwan.
The MAC published a list of important reminders for Taiwanese entertainers traveling to China on its official Web site.
China requires entertainers to express their political stance, which means traveling across the Strait could involve political risks, the council said.
The Chinese National Radio and Television Administration in 2021 issued a notice requiring art programs to express love for the “party” and “country” and adhere to the “correct political stance.”
China also restricts online entertainment marketing and monitors celebrity’s accounts, the MAC said.
The marketing of artistic works and artists’ words are closely regulated, so entertainers should be mindful of potential issues, it said.
As China imposes strict regulations on commercial performances by entertainers, artists should pay attention to the legality of events to protect their own rights and interests, the council said.
China has increased its scrutiny of Taiwanese, and the public should carefully assess their personal safety when traveling to China, it said.
Meanwhile, the Wuyung Temple (五雲宮) in Miaoli County’s Baishatun (白沙屯) yesterday said the Fumei Temple (富美宮) from Quanzhou in China’s Fujian Province has canceled its plan to join the Baishatun Matsu pilgrimage, an annual religious procession between Miaoli and Yunlin counties.
The cancelation came after the Mainland Affairs Council said it was investigating media reports that the Fumei Temple was conducting religious activities in Taiwan without government approval, with academics suspecting the participation to be a part of China’s efforts to use religious and cultural exchanges as a means of “united front” infiltration.
The Wuyung Temple said it first learned of the Fumei Temple’s planned visit through the Chinese Taoism Association.
It said it was contacted by the association yesterday about the Fumei Temple’s last minute change of plans, quoting the association as saying that the temple canceled, because it did not want to cause trouble for Wuyung Temple, as “the pure religious event has been politicized.”
Additional reporting by Peng Chien-li
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